How severe is CVE-2020-15186?

CVE-2020-15186 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 3.4, rated low severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity low, and availability none.

Is CVE-2020-15186 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (57th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-15186?

CVE-2020-15186 affects Helm. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-15186?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2020-15186 published?

CVE-2020-15186 was published on 2020-09-17 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-15186

CVE-2020-15186 is a low-severity vulnerability in Helm with a CVSS 3.x base score of 3.4. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-74.

Key facts

Severity: Low (CVSS 3.x base score 3.4)
CVSS v2: 4.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (57th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-74
Affected product: Helm
Published: 2020-09-17
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

In Helm before versions 2.16.11 and 3.3.2 plugin names are not sanitized properly. As a result, a malicious plugin author could use characters in a plugin name that would result in unexpected behavior, such as duplicating the name of another plugin or spoofing the output to `helm --help`. This issue has been patched in Helm 3.3.2. A possible workaround is to not install untrusted Helm plugins. Examine the `name` field in the `plugin.yaml` file for a plugin, looking for characters outside of the [a-zA-Z0-9._-] range.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-15186?: In Helm before versions 2.16.11 and 3.3.2 plugin names are not sanitized properly. As a result, a malicious plugin author could use characters in a plugin name that would result in unexpected behavior, such as duplicating the name of another plugin or spoofing the output to `helm --help`. This issue has been patched in Helm 3.3.2. A possible workaround is to not install untrusted Helm plugins. Examine the `name` field in the `plugin.yaml` file for a plugin, looking for characters outside of the [a-zA-Z0-9._-] range.
How severe is CVE-2020-15186?: CVE-2020-15186 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 3.4, rated low severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity low, and availability none.
Is CVE-2020-15186 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (57th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-15186?: CVE-2020-15186 affects Helm. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-15186?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2020-15186 published?: CVE-2020-15186 was published on 2020-09-17 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:helm:helm:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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